Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires. You can see it from the ground, a little dirty, a little noisy from the traffic, and sometimes even a little alarming, thanks to the anti-Falklands/pro-Malvinas encampment in there. You can hold onto your bag like there’s no tomorrow, and take a photo of the Casa Rosada through the metal barriers that may or may not be up.

Yesterday we introduced you to the Htl 9 de Julio, your former Room Mate in Buenos Aires that’s now in soft opening as an independent hotel. It offers your standard funky Room Mate design, a decent location… and impossibly low rates – just $38 is all we paid for both our stays this month. But what do you get for your $38?

When is a Room Mate not a Room Mate? When it’s your Argentinian Room Mate.

This is the lobby of the Htl 9 de Julio (a proper millennial name, if ever there was one) in Buenos Aires. At least, that’s what the sign on the door says. But inside the building, it’s a different story. The signs in the elevators? Room Mate hotels. The floorplans? Room Mate. The emergency exit and bathroom signs? Room Mate.

This year, however, the hotel has really gone over the top with the Barbie amenities. For starters, when guests arrive at the hotel, there will be a giant Barbie shoe for photo ops. Guests who actually book the Barbie room (room 136), which was created in partnership with Barbie-maker, Mattel, will get a special dedicated check-in before taking a set of private, pink stairs up to the room.

Once inside, they will find a so-called "Barbie-themed paradise" filled with exclusive Barbie items not found anywhere else, including a changing closet full of fashion accessories and a pink catwalk for impromptu fashion shows. To die for.

In June the Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires unveiled the first phase of its $49 million reno: a new lobby, landscaping and gardens, guestrooms, and two new dining venues—the Elena Restaurant and the Pony Line Bar. One would think that that’s the whole she-bang. But wait, there’s more.

The final phase has just been completed and it involves a new CIELO spa and Nuestro Secreto, a seasonal restaurant.

The designers of the year-long reno had the tango in mind when they re-designed the hotel, and you can see this throughout the hotel with a sinuous swirl here and a locking of limbs pattern there. We, however, can also see a few “modern gaucho meets the horsey set” design elements, leather headboards in the rooms, horse statues at the entrance and in the Elena Restaurant and Pony Line Bar.

This past year, Justin Bieber has gone about making a fool of himself on his world tour yet his fans are still as rabid as ever stalking, storming and stampeding the hotels he's been staying at. Finally, a hotel in Buenos Aires had enough.

The Hotel Faena, asked Bieber and his crew to leave the hotel after they were seized by crazy fans who started tearing down hotel property, apparently thinking this would get them access to the teen star. It did not. But he dis prompt this tweet from him:

to all my fans at the hotel. thank u. i love u. but please calm down and respect the police. we dont want anyone gettting hurt.

A first phase has been completed, including a redesign of the lobby, an initial set of rooms, and the addition of a courtyard restaurant. Another part of the makeover? The opening of Pony Line, a bar inspired by – you guessed it – polo.

Nothing like finishing up the year with a little gossip: Tennis great Roger Federer got some rest in the arms of the Algodon Mansion last week, putting his feet up after a few exhibition matches and children's training camps in Buenos Aires.

Although not as popular in the US, it seems like the rest of the world goes bonkers for a little soccer. And if you're a fan of the fast paced game, you know not to call it soccer, but football. So with a rich history of football, it makes complete sense for Buenos Airesto open up the first football-themed hotel for players and fans.

Rest assured The Hotel Boca isn't a sports bar turned hotel with a few footballs hanging from the ceiling or framed jerseys adorning the walls.This is a modern and avante-garde designed property with all the luxuries we adore . Public areas and the two restaurants are themed in the blue and yellow of the hometown team, Boca Juniors, and decorated with memorabilia from the over 100 year old club.

Each of the rooms and suites are decked out with great design and comfy living space that would impress even the highest level athletes. The simple layout is complemented with pops of team color, but in a way that would make you think you'd walked into a 'superfan's' closet. Think tasteful, not gaudy.

The travel-savvy and sun worshippers will chase the good weather and head to the southern hemisphere next month. It'll be springtime in Buenos Aires come September with temps topping out in the low 70's--the right time to take in fashion shows and wine festivals and to check out the new Buenos Aires Grand Hotel opening in the stylish Recoleta nabe.

The 90-room hotel will provide all the comforts travelers crave—free WiFi, 40" plasma TVs, and Nespresso coffeemakers. Plus, they can boast as being one of the rare B.A. hotels to have a rooftop pool (with an artificial current), so we’re anticipating quite the scene of designer-swimsuit wearing patrons come summer evenings starting in December (yep, remember it's opposite season).

Police say the robbers made off with money and valuables, but more details were unavailable about how or when the robbery occurred. The official news agency Telam quoted a hotel employee as saying nobody was hurt in the incident.

If you're looking for a great deal on a brand new boutique hotel this fall, head south. All the way down to Palermo Hollywood, the stylish nabe in Buenos Aires, where Fierro Hotel opens on September 1.

This spacious Superior Room (438 square feet) will set you back just $145 USD a night with the hotel's special opening rate, and that includes a breakfast buffet and unlimited internet access.

But if you can wait a bit longer, you may want to schedule a BA trip for September 30—that's the night of Fierro's VIP Opening Event, including a cocktail reception and dinner at the hotel's Hernán Gipponi Restaurante paired with Argentine wines.